Samsung is joining the self-driving car race

Samsung has joined the self-driving car race. The firm received approval to test its ‘Hyundai vehicles equipped with the latest cameras and sensors’ on public roads in South Korea.

The self-driving car market is set to reach $42 billion by 2025 and a new report has revealed that Samsung wants a piece of the action.

The South Korean electronics maker has recently been approved to test it deep-learning based autonomous vehicles on public roads.

Although the firm has been very quiet about the project, it has developed a 'commercialized Hyundai vehicle equipped with the latest cameras and sensors' that will be used during testing.

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Samsung received approved to test it deep-learning based autonomous vehicles on public roads. It plans to use a 'commercialized Hyundai vehicle (stock image) equipped with the latest cameras and sensors' that will be used during testing

The news was first shared online by The Korea Hearald, which said Samsung received its approval from the South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

The ministry has been working towards easing regulations on self-driving cars in the country – in a bid to not fall behind the rest of the world.

So far, the agency has been able to decrease the number of passengers required to ride in the vehicle from two to just one.

And it has also 'paved the way' for automobile manufactures to begin producing cars without steering wheels or pedals.

SELF-DRIVING CARS TAKE TO THE RACE TRACK IN CALIFORNIA

Earlier this month nine self-driving cars took to the course in Northern California, with the goal of simply making it round the 2 mile (3.2 kilometre) track.

All cars competing had a driver behind the wheel to intervene if necessary, and only four out of the nine made it around the curvy course without human help.

The self-driving cars were involved in a race, called 'Self Racing Cars' that included students and entrepreneurs from startup companies.

Nine self-driving cars took to the course in Northern California, with the goal of simply making it round the two mile (3.2 kilometer track). Pictured is an AutonomouStuff Automated Research Development Vehicle

For the small companies and students, the race course offered a large, safe testing environment.

Deciding how to slow down for a turn, for instance, is a big question for a car that drives itself, and startups cannot necessarily afford access to a major testing facility without pedestrians.

Some cars used GPS and other location tracking to follow digital maps to get around the course.

For the small companies and students, the race course offered a large, safe testing environment. Pictured is an engineer working on an AutonomouStuff Automated Research Development Vehicle

'Self-driving cars call for the collaboration of various cutting-edge technologies from the automobile, artificial intelligence and information communication sectors,' the ministry said.

In 2015, Samsung had revealed that it was setting up a team to develop a car components business focusing on autonomous driving technology and entertainment systems.

And prior to the announcement, the firm was already making chips that are used in self-driving cars.

In 2015, Samsung had revealed that it was setting up a team to develop a car components business focusing on autonomous driving technology and entertainment systems. And prior to the announcement, the firm was already making chips that are used in self-driving cars

However, the firm set out to focus on building its competencies in infotainment and autonomous driving vehicles', Samsung said in its annual business reorganization plan in 2015.

Samsung is the latest tech giant to join the self-driving car race and its approval comes just a few days after an image surfaced of Apple's self-driving car test vehicle.

The vehicle was spotted with an array of sensors and other equipment, according to the person who saw the vehicle and provided photos to Bloomberg.

Bloomberg journalist Alex Webb tweeted this GIF of Apple's self-driving test car, which comes a few days before Samsung revealed it will be testing its own selff-driving cars. The images were captured by a passerby as the car emerged from a Silicon Valley research facility

The sensors used by the vehicle appeared to be bought off the shelf rather than custom-made by Apple, according to an industry expert who saw the photos.

They included Velodyne Lidar's top-of-the-range 64-channel sensor for obstacle detection, at least two radar and a series of cameras.

Cameras can be seen at the back, top, front and sides of the car.

California's state Department of Motor Vehicles announced that Apple officially secured a permit to test autonomous vehicles in the state on April 14.

Apple joins a growing list of traditional car-makers, technology companies, and small start ups to test drive cars in California.

Pictured is one of Apple's self-driving vehicles snapped at the Las Vegas Convention Center in 2013. A monitor in the top right shows the image made by a 360 degree laser scanning device that creates a 3D image around the vehicle

All are vying to be the first company to bring self-driving cars to the masses.

Many companies have said the first cars will launch in 2020 but some experts believe it may take much longer due to regulatory challenges.

After a five-page letter last November from Steve Kenner, Apple's director of product integrity, to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the company was under increased speculation that they would enter into the competitive self-driving space.

'The company is investing heavily in the study of machine learning and automation, and is excited about the potential of automated systems in many areas, including transportation,' Mr Kenner wrote.

California's state Department of Motor Vehicles announced that Apple officially secured a permit to test autonomous vehicles in the state on April 14. Apple joins a growing list of traditional carmakers and technology companies to test-drive cars in California